Sky Purington's Blog, page 22

Uniting Two Passionate Souls From Different Worlds and Ages. A Time Apart by Rebecca N. Caudill.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome over Rebecca N. Caudill, author of A Time Apart, book one in the Macauley Series.
Genre: Paranormal Romance , Vampire
Date of Publication: February 8, 2015
ISBN: 978-1508482666ASIN: B00TDR1O6U
Number of pages: 211 (estimated)Word Count: 71,020
Cover Artist: Rebecca N. Caudill
Book Description
A love story that traverses the confines of time, life, and death, uniting two passionate souls from different worlds and ages …
Olivia Donnelly has spent her whole life obsessing about how she will die. When tragedy strikes, reality comes crashing down and she’s forced to confront her fears head on. Hoping that a move across the globe will help her to cope with a devastating loss, she arrives in Ireland a broken down shell of a woman looking for a second chance at life.
Almost immediately Olivia is drawn to places she’s never been, and to a man that she’s never met. When she crosses paths with the mysterious and frustratingly private William Macauley, her life is thrown into turmoil unlike any she has ever known. The two couldn’t be more different – she’s human, he’s a vampire – but Olivia can’t get him out of her mind. Having acknowledged her overwhelming desire for William, now she must come to terms with how her feelings for him will greatly alter her future.
Olivia’s understanding of life – and death – take on new meaning as she examines the truth of the person she once was, the woman she was born to be, and how William is the key to her everlasting happiness.
Available at Amazon
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win one of the following: $25 Amazon gift card, $10 Starbucks card or 1 autographed paperback.
Let’s Interview!
What inspired you to write this book?
I first had the idea for A Time Apart in 2008 when I was reading a bunch of paranormal romance books that featured heroines who were much younger than I was at the time. It’s not that I begrudge the New Adult phenomena, but I have a really hard time connecting with the characters. I really wanted to read about adult situations, with adult characters and so I started thinking about what a heroine, Olivia, would look like in my fictional world, and because I tend to enjoy really multifaceted male characters, I had to make William even more dark and complex than she was. The notion that she was the reincarnation of his dead wife came to me one night as I was struggling to come up with a valid reason for why they were so inexplicably drawn to one another. I felt like it couldn’t just be regular attraction – there had to be something more, a reason why they couldn’t stay away from one another, and from there the story took on new life.


How did you come up with the title?
Once I came up with the story angle, it seemed obvious to me. In fact, I had the title figured out before I had a lot of the story specifics figured out. On the one hand, you have William who has lived centuries without her; on the other, you have a woman who is only half of who she is supposed to be. I liked the play on her being only a part of her true self.


What made you choose the main setting for your book?
My grandmother was Irish and I’d grown up hearing stories about the place, even though she’d never been herself. Over the years it took on a sort of mythical quality in my mind, which fit well with the concept of a paranormal romance. The Yorkshire moors have their gothic tales, and I thought it would be perfect to have a vampire castle in the Irish countryside. I was a year into writing my book before I ever stepped foot in Ireland, and that trip helped me further refine my setting and descriptions.


What sort of personality does your hero have?
William, for all of his confidence and argument to the contrary, is very conflicted about who and what he is. He accepts it, yes, but he still can’t forgive himself for the things he did when he was first made vampire, and that anguish informs a lot of who he is now, almost four hundred years later. He’s sexy, of course, and commanding – men want to be him, and women want to be with him. He likes to think he has control in all situations, but we see pretty early on in the book that he doesn’t. Olivia rattles him, and he makes pretty rash decisions in his interactions with her. Once the two meet, the reader understands – even if he doesn’t – that he’s at war with himself over whether he should have her or let her go. She makes him lose his cool, while breaking down some of the cold reserve he’s built around himself. The longer they’re together, the more relaxed he becomes and we even begin to see glimpses of playfulness in him.


What sort of personality does your heroine have?
First and foremost, Olivia is a very strong woman. She grew up in an unhappy home and so she doesn’t see the world through rose-tinted glasses. When the reader first meets her, she’s trying – unsuccessfully – to come to grips with the death of her parents, hence the trip to Ireland to get a fresh start. She’s acerbic, and dry, and doesn’t easily trust other people but deep down she has a huge capacity for love. No doubt she’s impulsive, and she certainly has a temper, but much of that is only a mask for her vulnerability. All of these emotions lurking below the surface are what lead her to so quickly fall under William’s spell, and why she wants – needs – him so quickly. She’s always known that a part of her was missing, and she finally understands why. Armed with that knowledge, she won’t let anything stop her from getting the happiness that has so long been denied her.


Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.
I don’t want to give too much away here, but my favorite scene to write is one of the last ones of the book. When I initially envisioned the full story of A Time Apart – which, incidentally, has been the title since the moment I started writing it – I knew how I wanted the relationship between William and Olivia to play out; they were always going to get together. Midway through the book we see her making the decision to be with him, which was a joy to write, but I knew it wasn’t The Scene.
I felt that it was important for the story that when Olivia truly give herself to William that there be a romantic element as well. Yes, this is a paranormal romance, but above all, it’s about the love these two people share for one another. So immediately I knew what I wanted the scene to be, even well before I had ever written any of the other steamy sex scenes in the book. I was a bit worried about going overboard, or being able to artfully weave the scene together, but when I finished writing it, I felt immensely proud of what I had created. It’s one of the few scenes in the entirety of the book that didn’t really change at all during the editing and re-writes.  


Tell us about your book cover and how it relates to your story.
There’s an old saying about judging a book by its cover, and doing so is something that I’m definitely guilty of. Let’s be honest, some romance covers – regardless of sub-genre – are pretty out there. I still can’t believe people carried books with Fabio on the cover on public transportation!
Because I know just enough about Photoshop to be dangerous, I set about designing my own cover even before I was finished writing the book. I went through several ideations that started with a castle as the main imagery – after all, Macauley Castle plays a central role in my novel, as much as some of the characters in the book. At first I was really happy with what I had produced, but then I started to feel like it wasn't setting the right tone. All the photos I had at my disposal were of a castle during the day, surrounded by verdant fields of green. As readers know, very quickly the action shifts to night, which made that sort of photo wrong on a few levels. 
After scouring several stock photography sites I was nearly ready to give up and just go with a generic cover that I could purchase for $40 but then I stumbled on it – a series of photos of a red headed woman who looked a lot like I had pictured Olivia. I looked through the set and realized that with some time in Photoshop I could take those images and give them the feel I wanted. Photos purchased, I set about giving the images a darker look and feel, and after several different versions I settled on the imagery that I used when my book first debuted. When it came time to do a print cover, I used the same imagery but flipped it, and added some additional noise and darkness and changed the font to be a bit bolder.
When the reader is first introduced to Olivia, she's living in this sort of in-between state. She's of the living, but she hasn't been living; rather, the death of her parents has triggered a set back in her emotional stability and now she's pretty much obsessed with death. Everywhere she goes, everyone she meets, she wonders how he or she will die, and she most often wonders how SHE will eventually die. I liked the misty white gradient as it rises up to meet her face – in full, bright color – as it gives you the sense of someone who's fading. On the opposite side is a dark, black grungy, web-like texture peeking out in the shadows, which hints at something more sinister. It balances out all of the white; it tells you that this isn't a story of light.
One of the things that I really like about this cover is that it isn't dark. Almost every paranormal romance novel out right now has a dark cover. Of course, going this route could bite me in the arse, but I enjoy that what I’ve created isn't the norm for the genre, that it stands apart from the rest, that it establishes OLIVIA as the hero of my story, and not WILLIAM. Then again, I’m sure a picture of a hunky William’s chest would have sold more copies. J


Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
I’m in the process of editing and revising Blood of My Blood: Book Two of the Macauley Series; you can catch a sneak peek of it at the end of A Time Apart. It picks up exactly where Book One leaves off, but in it we learn more about William’s life after he became a vampire, and we see how Olivia is settling into her new, preternatural life.
I’m also working on a regency romance that has been simmering at the back of my mind since I’ve been obsessed with the period for many years now. I don’t want to give too much away about it because it’s still in the early stages, but there’s a paranormal angle there as well and I’m really excited to mix the genres as they’re my two favorites.


Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
Ha ha ha ha! I’ve gone through so many these past several years, but I haven’t really found one that I would call a favorite. When I first started writing A Time Apart we lived in a beautiful 1910 craftsman, but I didn’t really have an office space of my own so I wrote the beginnings of the book on the couch. Later, I began working from home and we transformed the third bedroom into a dedicated office for me, and while it was great for the writing I did for work, I felt sucked dry creatively so I couldn’t really work on my book in there. Since then, we’ve sold our house and have been renting an apartment in a more vibrant part of town. It’s much smaller so I no longer have dedicated office space. Also, last year I fell on a dock and messed up my tail bone pretty bad so I can’t sit in one place for too long before the pain sets it, so I move from the bedroom, to the couch, to the dining nook, and all around. I long for the days when I have a creative space of my own where I can be comfortable writing. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’s not too far off in the future.


It’s time to promo. What is your favorite marketing tool?
Those who have read my bio know that I have a pretty extensive background in public relations. In fact, I have over a decade of pitching and securing coverage for the underlying technologies that power some of the world’s current technological innovations. I had (naively) thought that having been successful with something that most people can’t understand, that doing publicity for my book would be a breeze. Ha! I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Honestly, I haven’t quite figured out what my favorite marketing tool is as an author, and I’m still getting the hang of it. I love Twitter, and have had an account since its early days. In 2015, I created an account specifically to talk about writing and becoming an author, but I’m having a hard time finding my footing in the community. In general I’ve never found Facebook a great marketing tool outside of big brands, so I’m still not convinced it’s the right avenue for me to pursue, especially with the changes Facebook has implemented with promoting accounts.
I don’t mean to sound negative about marketing. I’m not at all. I think I’m just learning to re-set my expectations on what book marketing is, compared to technology marketing. Old habits die hard, can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and all that jazz. ;)
That said, the marketing tool that I’m certainly most intrigued by is the video trailer. I have done videos in my previous profession, so I know how powerful they can be in driving interest in a product, but until I started following book tours, I hadn’t seen anything like it for authors. I really love the idea of giving readers an idea of what the book is about in video form, and it’s something I’m excited to explore with future releases.


Do you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?
As a reader, I prefer to go more in-depth with the characters and to really examine what is happening to them and around them. I think that’s the reason that I haven’t pursued turning any of my ideas into short stories. The few that I’ve read seem to end just as I’m getting interested in the characters. Also, if my answers here haven’t clued you in, I’m a bit long-winded so I’m not sure that I could stick to putting together a short story that was worthy of publication.
At over 70,000 words, A Time Apart is a full-length novel, but I am intrigued by the idea of creating shorter novellas for future installments of the series. There are so many twists and turns coming up in the story that it could make sense to examine each of them as standalone novellas rather than trying to wrap them into one longer, cohesive story. The other thing that has changed the way I think about the novella is the success of them with self-publishers, and with the one-click ease of purchasing via digital outlets. (I have a Kindle, so I use Amazon.) If a novella is priced right, the story is riveting and fast-paced, I can definitely see that being a great avenue for a writer. Now you’ve got me thinking about all of the possibilities! 
Excerpt
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Flight 716 with service from San Francisco to Dublin. We ask that you please fasten your seat belts and secure all baggage beneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartments. At this time, please turn all personal electronic devices to airplane mode so that they cannot transmit a signal. As you know, smoking is prohibited for the duration of our journey to Dublin, and that includes in the lavatories. Thank you for choosing Aer Lingus. Enjoy your flight.”
It was usually at this point in any flight where Olivia’s real panic kicked in. Shortly – terrifyingly – the plane would be airborne with nothing but land and sea below. While she knew statistically that airplanes were safer than cars, she’d never known anyone – let alone two anyones – who had been killed, their bodies never recovered, from a freak accident on the freeway. Not to say that it didn’t happen everyday; she just didn’t know anyone that it had happened to.
To distract her mind, she listened to the crew outline the plane’s safety procedures and then the Captain’s welcome, including the weather forecast for Dublin – rainy and brisk, how shocking. Sipping the champagne the flight attendant had offered her when she boarded, Olivia felt the combination of the Valium and the alcohol take over her body, but not quite enough that she gave up the death grip she had on the arm rests. As she felt the tell tale tingle of the Valium working its magic, she thought – not for the first time – that maybe someday a plane crash wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to her. Maybe someday she’d just never wake up from the self-induced drug and alcohol fueled nothingness she needed just to fly. 
Who am I kidding?
Sadly, more and more frequently it wasn’t just plane rides that had her mixing booze and pills. Most days she wrapped herself in a hazy blur of alcohol like a security blanket, protecting her in a cocoon of mental fuzziness.

Olivia felt her pulse beginning to race and her breathing accelerate, and she made a conscious effort not to panic, not to look over at Judgy lest the woman start advocating for professional psychiatric help. It wouldn’t have been the first time some well-meaning motherly type had tried to get Olivia into therapy. She stole a quick glance in Judgy’s direction only to find that she was already engrossed in her novel, Olivia’s neurosis and emotional paralysis the least of her concerns.
Not too long after she had fought back the near panic attack, the whirring of the engines lulled Olivia into a stupor that soon resulted in a fitful sleep. For the next ten hours she didn’t exactly fall into a deep slumber, but she wasn’t fully awake either. Her mind seemed to float between a dreaming and wakeful state, and she felt strangely separated from her body. She’d see snippets of things in her head but wasn’t sure if the images were of events or instances that she was remembering, things she was imagining, or scenarios she was concocting to be used in her novel. 
And then Olivia saw, quite clearly, the face of a man she had never met and yet she felt like she had known him all of her life – blue eyes, sharp and unnaturally piercing as if he could see deep into her soul. She saw a field of green that stretched far and wide, rolling hills dotted with sheep and lined with stacked stone walls. She saw herself as a child chasing a puppy larger than she was down by a river while laughing that high-pitched squeal that only a child can make as the dog raced back toward her covered in mud and dripping with water. And then that image changed as quickly as it came and she saw her mother as a young woman, happy and carefree, in love with a man who was not Gerald Donnelly.
And as she always did when in one of her fitful states of sleep, Olivia saw all the ways she could die – car accident; mugging gone horribly wrong after having put up a brave fight; her house on fire, the flames licking at her feet as she tried to run; her body weak and broken as it was ravished by cancer; or her heart slowly stopping as she lay in her bed, blind from old age and hunched with the rigors of time.
And in these dreams she was ready for it – any of it – almost welcoming the vast blackness that would follow whatever her death would be.
And then she saw that face again – the man she didn’t know but felt so deeply that she should. He whispered her name, longingly, “Olivia.” 

About the Author

Rebecca Caudill read her first novel when she was just four years old and has been hooked on books ever since. When she wasn't writing her own stories, she was sneaking copies of her mom's paperbacks to read late into the night.
Fast forward several years later and Rebecca graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in English Lit, which gave her new insight into the written word. Following college, Rebecca embarked on a career in tech PR in the famed Silicon Valley, which eventually led to her leading Global R&D communications for a Fortune 500 company that everyone knows by name. Finally, after more than a decade of writing words ascribed to other people, in December 2014 she quit her job to pursue writing full time.
Today Rebecca lives with her husband and beautiful-but-neurotic cat in Oakland, California. When not creating fictional worlds inhabited by strong women, rakes, rogues, and dashing heroes, she is planning her next vacation, trying out new recipes, or drinking Islay scotch.
Blog 
Twitter @rebecca_caudill
Facebook 
Goodreads  
Pinterest 
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Fantasy Romance. Pouraka by Dianne Lynn Gardner.

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over Dianne Lynn Gardner, author of Pouraka, Book One.
Genre: Fantasy romance
Publisher: Dianne Lynn Gardner
ASIN: B00T0PED40
Number of pages: 242Word Count: 75369
Cover Artist: Dianne Lynn Gardner
Book Description
Pouraka is a magical sea cavern tucked under the rocky cliffs near Barnacle Bay. Cora, a Pouraka mer, is torn between her friends in the seaside town, and her true love Tas, a foreign mer whose people fled when men invaded their waters.
Life becomes difficult for all mers when an arrogant oil rigger's son, Tom, finds the bay and the rich aquatic life it harbors. When Tas attempts to rescue a pod of dolphins from Tom's gill net, he is captured and taken away as a prize to be sold to a theme park. When Cora hears of his capture she changes into human form and travels south to find him, risking her life to free him.
Time away from Pouraka leaves the cavern vulnerable, and a new threat arises when tourists discover its magic.
Available at Amazon
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win one of the following: 1 ebook copy of Sasha which introduces the story, five 8 X 10 prints of Pouraka's cover without the text, authographed by the author, 1 digital copy of dystopia novel Altered, 1 pair of earrings open to US Shipping.Book Trailer

Let’s Interview!
What inspired you to write this book?
My love for the ocean has much to do with why I wrote this story. I grew up in California and I’m convinced that those who live by the sea, and appreciate its beauty, will always carry a love for pounding breakers, foggy nights, cool crunchy sand between the toes, and ocean swells that glitter at sunset. Wherever that person goes, there is a homing instinct to be by the sea again.
My love for the sea was not the only reason I wrote this story. So many of my friends have followed and protested the treatment of sea mammals recently. And though I don’t like posting brutal photographs of how mankind treats the creatures he has domain over, it occurred to me that if we could somehow put ourselves in the place of a dolphin or an orca, we would better understand the torment they go through because of mankind. What better way than creating a novel about mermaids who, if they were real, would suffer the same invasion by mankind that dolphins do. Their relationships with one another, their loyalty to one another, their care for one another mirrors that of all sea mammals.  If one person becomes more aware of and respects the life that abides in the glorious deep waters we call the ocean, than I will be satisfied as an author of Pouraka.
How did you come up with the title?
I researched words in the Maori language. Barnacle Bay is a small town on an island, and Pouraka is a sea cavern located in the cliffs of that village. I wanted something island-sounding, a word with rhythm and charisma. The fact that the root of the word means ‘cradle’ jumped out at me.
If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?

I would spend an hour with Tas. I fell in love with him. Strong, and courageous Tas has a protective quality that I admire. As much as he suffered, he remained true to his character, willing to do the right thing.  He may have been a little over protective of Cora, but his experiences warranted that protection. He did not want what happened to his mother to happen to Cora.Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
Yes. I’m working on a sequel to Pouraka. I can’t say too much as I don’t want to give Pouraka’s ending away but I can tell you that Sasha will be the main character and Kaile and Beth will suffer through trauma. Pouraka the great and magical sea cavern will not be forgotten.
What sort of personality does your heroine have?
Cora is strong and determined, though she is very naïve to the ways of mankind. She was fun to write. Whereas she is knowledgeable and mature under water, on land she is like a child. She cannot read, she sees things in a very simple light, and cannot understand why people do what they do. Her love for Tas is her drive. She will do anything to be with him.
Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.
I did. It’s the excerpt I included here.
What sources do you use for research?
I use many different resources for writing. For Pouraka I am fortunate to have a son who scuba dives (some of the footage in Pouraka’s trailer was photographed by him and his family). Asking questions and getting information from him was a joy. I also visited the Monterey Aquarium while I was writing this story and came home with a wealth of knowledge.
It’s time to promo. What is your favorite marketing tool?
Anything that has to do with pictures and video. I’m probably just as visual as anyone, being an artist. I love creating images so I’d have to say YouTube and Pinterest.
Do you write books in series? If so, share a bit about the series you currently have published or are coming soon.
Yes, I do write books in a series. I find there is just never enough written about my characters. They all have stories to tell and in those stories new characters come alive and they, too have stories to tell. Already I see Pouraka growing into a series. There is a prequel titled Sasha: The Secret of Barnacle Bay. It’s a very short story and during my promotion beginning March 18 it will be free.
I have another YA adventure fantasy series out titled the Ian’s Realm Saga about a boy and his father who discover a portal to another Realm, The story follows their adventures they tackle a dragon, dragon worshipers, and a theif who holds a mysterious secret. We are currently working on making book 5 of that series into a movie but I have more ideas for more books after that one. 
Excerpt
The sand was cool, the shells sharp and prickly, making her toes itch. She strolled to the wet sand where the foam still bubbled into clam holes and the remnants of waves frothed over her feet. Seagulls clustered, pecking at shellfish and welcoming the end of day. Farther out the ocean throbbed, constant and carefree. Ever faithful, the sea rocked back and forth over the earth as it harbored its creatures, protecting them from the sun’s vicious heat, feeding them, nourishing them and cradling them. Cora should be in its belly, accepting its nurturing. She was the oceans’ charge and yet here she was, walking the land as though she were human. She’d been denying her heritage all this time.
A surge of shame swept over her. Why did she even want to be human? Merpeople were so much kinder to each other, and to the animals they lived among. Why did she ever doubt that she should live as a mermaid?
Cora took the basket off of her back and unfastened the lid. The water inside was so clear she could see the interior weave of kelp even in the fading sunlight. Scooting closer to the surf so that the waves rolled over her, she held the basket above her head.
Pouraka’s water dripped over her hair, onto her shoulders and her face. She lifted her chin and let it run down her neck, her chest, her belly. Cora poured the water over her hips, her legs, and her toes as the sea rumbled and came to her, a white roll of salt water rushing to immerse her. Cora leaned back and let the ocean swallow her human body. The sea wanted her home, grabbing her form and pulling her far away from shore. She tumbled in the breakers until she was saturated and far from land. Cora came to the surface and viewed the vanishing shoreline one last time. Sunset shined its face on her scales as golden fragments of evening glitter. She hadn’t felt so alive in a long time. She felt good, and somehow she would bring this freedom to Tas. She had to. 
About the Author

Dianne is an author and illustrator of YA adventure fantasy with a dab of historical content thrown in. Building worlds that might resemble the forests of her home in the Pacific Northwest, or the shimmering deserts of Arizona, add to that a pinch of magic dust and a few million stars and you just might find the portal to another Realm.
Happily married to a man that puts up with her celestial wanderings and wonderings, she is the mother of seven lovely adult children and grandmother to sixteen gorgeous boys and girls.
Dianne loves writing, painting in oils and living in other dimensions. She finds life much more colorful that way! Her books are middle grade to young adult adventure fantasies with dragons and wizards and sorcery and battles on the high seas. Her grandchildren are a big inspiration for her stories. There’s a shared camaraderie, something akin to what C.S. Lewis said about someday being old enough to enjoy fairy tales again.
Dianne’s newest series Pouraka dives into the depths to explore life as a mer. She also has a series that is being re released by PDMI publishing called the Ian’s Realm Saga.
Stretching her tent stakes, she is working on an Indie Film production of her V book Cassandra’s Castle.
Website http://gardnersart.com
Blog https://diendrial.wordpress.com/
Twitter @DianneGardner
Rebel Mouse https://www.rebelmouse.com/DianneGardner/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Pouraka
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DianneLynnGardner
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6473931.Dianne_Lynn_Gardner
Amazing Stories Magazinehttp://amazingstoriesmag.com/authors/dianne-lynn-gardner/
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Wow! Have You Heard What Night Owl Reviews Is Up To?

I just HAD to share this. Have you heard what Night Owl Reviews is up to???
Whoa, they just don’t make scavenger hunts like this anymore. Tons of awesome stuff up for grabs. For starters, a $500 Amazon gift card. Yup, you read that correctly. $500! Sweet, huh? Read on to see what else is being given away and to learn more details about how to enter…
Dates: March 1st - March 25th
Find great authors and books during this giveaway event! Read book blurbs and get entered to win awesome prizes!
For this scavenger hunt you will be reading book blurbs and filling in a missing word(s) from a sentence in the blurb.
You will be entered to win Amazon Gift Cards and eBooks.
Twitter  #FindYourNextGreatReadHunt
Winner Announcement Chat: March 30th at 6pm PT / 9pm ET in our chat room

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Fantasy Romance. Feast of Fates by Christian A. Brown.

Today it’s my pleasure to feature Feast of Fates, Book One in Four Feasts Till Darkness, by Christian A. Brown
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Date of Publication: September 9, 2014
ISBN: 978-1495907586Number of pages: 540
Word Count: 212K
Book Description
"Love is what binds us in brotherhood, blinds us from hate, and makes us soar with desire.”
Morigan lives a quiet life as the handmaiden to a fatherly old sorcerer named Thackery. But when she crosses paths with Caenith, a not wholly mortal man, her world changes forever. Their meeting sparks long buried magical powers deep within Morigan. As she attempts to understand her newfound abilities, unbidden visions begin to plague her--visions that show a devastating madness descending on one of the Immortal Kings who rules the land.
With Morigan growing more powerful each day, the leaders of the realm soon realize that this young woman could hold the key to their destruction. Suddenly, Morigan finds herself beset by enemies, and she must master her mysterious gifts if she is to survive.
Available at Amazon and Createspace
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win one of 5 signed copies of Feast of Fates (Launch Edition) shipped anywhere within US/ Canada. 
Book Trailer

Excerpt
 Morigan took the bracelet.
“I accept your offering.” The Wolf’s face lit and she thought that he would leap at her. “Yet first, I have a request.”        “Anything, my Fawn.”        “I would like to see…what you are. The second body that shares your soul. Show me your fangs and claws,” she commanded.      Perhaps it was the steadiness of her voice, how she ordered him to bare himself as if he belonged to her that made the Wolf’s heart roar to comply. He did not shed his skin but for the whitest moons of the year, and even then, so far from the city and never in front of another. In a sense, he was as much a virgin as she. With an unaccustomed shyness, he found himself undressing before the Fawn, confused for a speck as to who was the hunter. The flare of her nostrils, the intensity of her stare that ate at him for once.        I have chosen well for a mate. She is as much a Wolf as I, he thought, kicking off his boots and then shimmying his pants down to join the rest of his clothing. No bashful maiden was Morigan, and she did not look away from his nakedness, but appreciated what she saw: every rough, hairy, huge bit of him.       He howled and fell to all fours. Bones shifted and snapped, rearranging under his skin like skeletal gears. From his head, chest and loins, the soft black hair thickened and spread over his twisting flesh. His heaving became guttural and sloppy, and when he tossed his head up in a throe of agony or pleasure, his beard had coated his face, and she noticed nothing but white daggers of teeth. Wondrously Morigan witnessed the transformation, watched him swell with twice the muscle he had possessed as a man, saw his hands and feet shag over with fur and split the soil with black claws. Another howl and a final gristle-crunching shudder (his hindquarters snapping into place, she thought) signified the end of the change.         Her dreams did not do Caenith justice. Here was a beast twice the size of a mare with jaws that could swallow her to the waist. Here was a monster that had stalked and ruled the Untamed. A lord of fang and claw. The birds and weaker animals vanished, knowing a deadly might was near. Around her, the Wolf paced; making the ground tremble with power; ravishing her with his cold gray gaze; huffing and blasting her with his forceful breaths. While the scent of his musk was choking, it was undeniably Caenith’s, if rawer and unwashed.           Morigan was not afraid, and was flushed with heat and shaking as she slipped the bracelet on and knelt. She did not flinch as the Wolf lay behind and about her like a great snuffling rug and placed his boulder of a head in her lap. No, she stroked his long ears and his wrinkled snout. A maiden and her Wolf. Soon the birds returned, sensing this peace and chirping in praise of it. And neither Morigan nor the Wolf could recall a time—if ever there was one—where they had felt so complete. 
About the Author 

Christian A. Brown has written creatively since the age of six. After spending most of his career in the health and fitness industry, Brown quit his job to care for his mother when she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in 2010.
Having dabbled with the novel that would eventually become Feast of Fates for over a decade, Brown was finally able to finish the project. His mother, who was able to read a beginning version of the novel before she passed away, has since imbued the story with deeper sentiments of loss, love, and meaning. He is proud to now share the finished product with the world. 
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What Happens When a Sheltered Cat-shifter and a Dark Fey Come Together? Dai's Dark Valentine by Dariel Raye.

Today it's my pleasure to welcome back author Dariel Raye to help celebrate her latest release, Dai's Dark Valentine. Congratulations, Dariel!

“Dai’s Dark Valentine” by Dariel Raye
Blurb
What happens when a sheltered cat-shifter and a dark fey come together?
Three-hundred years is a long time, but left to its own devices, what began as the vendetta of one man can grow to encompass even more formidable hatred.
Daitre Salons is a beautiful but naïve heiress whose true heritage has been kept secret even from her. Now, her abilities are emerging and her father’s enemies want her dead, but what bothers her most is that her new husband “in name only” insists on treating her like a child.
Joban Beaucoup, professional guard to the Salons family, and dark fey (alternate spelling from Vodouin origin), has chosen to leave the quaint yet suffocating French town of his orphan-childhood and venture to the Americas, but he needs one thing he cannot concoct, despite his magical abilities – a wife.
When Joban agrees to marry Daitre and take her to the Americas with him, he carries her three-thousand miles away, then whisks her three-hundred years into the future to assure her safety, but while Daitre struggles to adjust to this strange new world, manage her newfound powers, and make peace with her feelings for Joban, Joban learns that even here, their enemies have followed them, now more deadly than ever.
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Excerpt
New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. - Present
Daitre instinctively wrapped her arms around Joban’s neck, wonder overshadowing every other thought and emotion.
Before she could blink, he slid her arms from him and took a step back. She blinked again and glanced around, the environment too strange for comprehension. What seemed like millions of images flashed around her synapses at once.
She closed her eyes again and did her best to ignore the rocks in her stomach, but the feeling of rejection would not go away. She’d over-stepped. He made it clear he did not want to be touched. Apparently he’d meant what he said about their marriage being a union in name only, and God alone knew where he’d brought her.
The magical orb resurfaced in her mind and she watched Joban in awe. She’d always known he was a time bender, and he’d even flashed her from one place to another before, but his particular species of fey were so rare, she’d never met another, and no matter what she thought she knew, experiencing the phenomenon was no less overwhelming and amazing.
Everything seemed to happen in a flash, glimpses of familiar and unfamiliar things slowly registering as the light faded. Joban told her they were in The Americas, the United States of America to be exact, three-hundred years in the future, the twenty-first century, and he began showing her odd clothing.
“Things are very different here and now, Daitre. You will need to adjust as fast as possible. I got these for you after your father told me your size. They will take some getting used to, but dressing is much easier in this century, I imagine.”
“What part of America are we in?”
“We are in a place called New Orleans, Louisiana. I should have family here, and so should you.” He waved across his left hand and a picture appeared.
“This is a map of the United States. We are here,” he said, pointing to the bottom tip of Louisiana.
Daitre frowned.
“What is it, Princess?”
She placed her hands on her hips and folded her arms. “The picture in your hand. That’s something else I did not know you could do.”
“And why does this trouble you?”
She waved him away, the frown morphing into a scowl as she raised her voice. “I do not know. You are all I have, yet I know nothing about you for certain. I find it very troubling.”
He sighed, but otherwise said nothing.
Daitre fingered her gown and glanced warily at the pants, dresses, and other garments he’d purchased. All of her beautiful things were left behind – gowns, jewels, everything left in Monsieur Beaucoup’s carriage.
She wrapped her arms around her midsection. “No.”
“’No,’ what?” His ominous tone did nothing to help the situation.
“No, I will not wear those. They are the garments of a harlot, and all of my things have been left in another place and time.”  
About the Author  



Dariel Raye writes powerful IR/MC (Interracial/Multi-cultural) paranormal romance and dark urban fantasy with alpha male heroes to die for, and strong heroines with hearts worth winning. Her stories tell of shifters, vamps, angels, demons, and fey (the Vodouin variety).
For more about Dariel, follow her blogor website. She also publishes a new release newsletter and daily newspaper. You can contact her on Twitter, Facebook,  Goodreads, and Pinterest.
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Supernatural Dark Erotica. Forbidden Gems I and II by Damian Jericho.

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over Damian Jericho, author of Forbidden Gems I, Hasty Introductions and Forbidden Gems II, Carnivores.
Forbidden Gems I, Hasty IntroductionsGenre: Erotica/Supernatural Erotica/Dark Erotica
Date of Publication: February 17, 2015
ASIN: B00S71GSEG Number of pages: 46
Word Count: 12,148
Cover Artist: Xio Axelrod
Book Description
It’s an unusual night at the museum. The legendary Pazuzu gemstones are making an appearance, in the company of the man who discovered them: the almost equally legendary Argent Leeds.
Mara, a young intern, expects nothing more from the evening than a chance to get a glimpse at the almost mythical stones. What she gets is a private showing, and a great deal more: the beginning of an erotic journey unlike anything she could have ever imagined.
Forbidden Gems is a six part serial. It begins here.
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Excerpt
He said, “I wonder, before we allow Mrs. Toomes the use of her office again, if you could do me one favor. I’d like for you to think about the gemstone you touched.”
“The blue sapphire?”
“The sapphire, yes.”
“You want me to think about it? That’s a strange request.”
“I know. Just picture it in your head. Close your eyes if you want.”
This is weird, she thought. But she did as he asked, shut her eyes and thought back to Saturday night. Not the part where Argent had her pressed up against a glass display cabinet—that was something she almost couldn’t stop thinking about—but the part before, when he had taken the sapphire from the cabinet and slipped it into her hand. The memory came easily enough, as if this was something that was always buried at the edge of her memory just hidden behind thoughts of Argent and everything that happened later. But she could recall exactly how warm the sapphire had felt, and how smooth it was in her palm.
Did it glow? Or had that been a trick of the light?
She could feel it in her hand again, the sense memory was so strong. And just as soon as she imagined she was holding it, she felt something else. Something sudden and urgent was uncoiling itself inside her, beginning with a shiver that traveled up her back to her scalp and down to her fingertips, echoing through her and turning into a dull throb in her groin.
She opened her eyes and looked at Argent, who seemed to be aware of exactly what she was feeling, even though she’d barely moved.
“Argent, what is this?”
“No, don’t stop. Keep thinking of it,” he said.
It was as if she had no choice but to obey his request, and as she closed her eyes again, the memory of the sapphire filled up her thoughts completely.
Blue, so blue.
The gemstone was in her hands again, but now she was caressing it and sliding it across her skin, over her chest and down her naked stomach. It was a memory of a thing that had never happened, yet it felt as real as anything that had happened, and she didn’t know anymore how to tell the difference. And as she slid the sapphire down her stomach and past her wet lips and into her, she didn’t care because it felt real.
Also real was the rush of wet heat in her crotch that turned into a pounding need, as if the gemstone was still inside her and vibrating in time with her body. As if they were becoming a part of each other.
And she was about to burst. Her nipples, which had become exposed nerves, rubbed against the inside of her bra and ached to be bitten and pulled, and she yearned to reach out and grab Argent and pull him onto her. Instead she dug her hands into the soft leather of the chair and let out a little moan.
Think of the stone, she reminded herself, and there she was again in her falsified memory, naked and leaning up against the wall pushing the blue sapphire in and out of herself and then running the slick stone back up her chest.
Her legs were opening. She couldn’t stop them. Sapphire blue was everywhere and everything, and her hands wanted to let go of the chair, and she couldn’t let that happen, but she couldn’t stop them either somehow. She was so close.
“I can’t . . .” she whispered, even as she trembled from another shiver and fought just to stay upright and keep her hands where they were. It was a losing battle, because in her memory was the notion that the stone belonged back inside her, and so she spread her legs and thrust it as deeply as it could go. And then her hand—the real one, that was holding on to the chair desperately—let go and she was shoving it between her open legs and pushing her fingers in as far and as hard as she could through her jeans.
She came violently and suddenly, like something physically snapped inside her vagina and spilled out hot oil that ran all the way up to her face. Her head tilted and her back arched, and a scream began to slide out of her throat when Argent clapped his hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. “It’s okay,” he said soothingly. “Settle down now. Settle down.”
The orgasm dug in and held her body rigid for what seemed like minutes before subsiding. She sagged into the chair, pulled her hand out from between her legs, and leaned against Argent, who was kneeling next to her.
“I’m all sweaty,” she complained quietly. “What the hell just happened to me?”
“Research,” he said.
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I,” he said. “But I want to. Do you?”
Let’s Interview...
What inspired you to write this book?
I didn’t know if I could. 
I’ve been writing for some time (under a different name) in a range of other genres, but I’d never tried erotica.  I’m most effective when writing as a dare, essentially.  If I don’t know for certain whether or not I’m capable of it, I feel like I have to try. 
What made you choose the main setting for your book?
The main setting for Forbidden Gems is “a city”.  I don’t ever specify which city it is, because I wanted the story to retain a sort of mythical quality.  It also freed me from worrying about—for instance—describing the city’s archeological museum inaccurately.
Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.
On the surface, this is a familiar story: a young ingénue attracts the attention and affections of an older, extremely wealthy and successful man.  But there is a matter of the rare gemstones he has, and the possibility that these gemstones might have a mystical quality to them, and the further possibility that the successful man is somewhat more dangerous than he seems.
The conflict is between the heroine Mara’s sexual desire and the realization that she is losing control of herself, possibly due to a supernatural influence she can’t entirely bring herself to believe is real.  That conflict gets pretty dark and extreme by the end of the book.
What sort of personality does your heroine have?
Mara is intelligent, rational and independent.  That probably describes a lot of heroines, though, so let me try a little harder.  She’s the girl everyone is in love with and nobody thinks they have a shot with, someone who knows she’s attractive but doesn’t thinks much about that or use it to her advantage.  She’s openly disdainful of people who see her as a woman first, and a scientist second or third.  She doesn’t know how special she really is.
Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.
I have three answers for this one.  Forbidden Gems is a serial, and all of the episodes have already been written, so if we are talking about the story as a whole, there was one section I particularly enjoyed writing, only because it’s utterly outrageous.  Book four has the beginning of… well, it’s a dungeon orgy scene.  A really long dungeon orgy scene.  It’s so long half of it is in book five.
If we are talking about the first two serial installments, there is a scene in the first book in which Mara is talked into a state of arousal, and in the second installment there is that dinner scene…
How long have you been writing? How long have you been published?
This is Damian Jericho’s first published work.  Under my other name I’ve been a published writer for fifteen years.  I’ve been writing all my life.
What genre/genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?
I don’t know if preferis adequate.  I enjoy writing stories, and those stories inevitably cross multiple genres, whether I fully intend for them to do that or not.  Forbidden Gems, for instance, is likely classified as erotica of the non-romance species, and further as supernatural erotica, dark erotica and erotic horror.  I didn’t intend to cross into any of that territory, it’s just where the story ended up going.  I’m sure I’ll write other genres in the future, both because I have to keep challenging myself and because I never know what genre I’ve actually written until it’s done.
Forbidden Gems II, Carnivores
Genre: Erotica/Supernatural Erotica/Dark Erotica
Date of Publication: March 3, 2015
ASIN: B00SE2JJP8
Number of pages: 47
Word Count: 13,101
Cover Artist: Xio Axelrod
Book Description
While sorting through the archeological findings from one of Argent’s digs, Mara makes a surprising discovery, one that might connect back to the gemstones. Eager to share what she’s found, she meets Argent for a private dinner in an exclusive club, and ends up sharing a great deal more when clothing becomes entirely optional.
Forbidden Gems is a six part serial. The journey continues here.
Available at Amazon
Excerpt
Mademoiselle Alleman was an alarmingly thin older woman who resembled an unusually fleshy species of bird but who had at her disposal a dazzling array of high-end designer products that were so high-end Mara had never heard of any of them before. This was not, she granted, an ideal litmus test given her historical lack of funds and parallel lack of fashion knowledge. She knew what she looked good in, and she knew what fit, and for any additional details, she usually leaned on her friends.
The mademoiselle—she did not appear to have a first name—was seemingly happier to meet Mara than anybody had ever been to meet her ever, and while Mara was pretty sure Alleman greeted everyone with the same extraordinary level of enthusiasm, it rang so true she was happy to imagine this woman had been waiting for Mara all her life—or if not her, then someone just like Mara—to come along and try on some of the clothing she had lying around that was all about exactly the right size.
They began simply enough, by making sure the criminally short black dress Argent had picked out for her was properly sized. Mara thought it was a perfect fit—better than any other outfit in her wardrobe already—but the mademoiselle disagreed and ended up taking in an eighth of an inch at the waist and lowering the hemline by a quarter of an inch.
“You will see, chéri,” she said. “It will look perfect.”
It looked pretty perfect already, Mara thought. But she wasn’t the expert in the room.
Underwear came next, and that was just sort of strange. Mara had never had a personal shopper for outerwear before, but she liked the idea of it immediately. But Mademoiselle Alleman, a woman old enough to be her grandmother, had opinions on what underwear Mara should be wearing with the dress, and nobody was pretending this was going to be anything other than fuck-me underwear.
“I think Monsieur Leeds, he will like these very much,” she said, holding up a thong that was essentially three strings and an eye-patch. In the mademoiselle’s French accent, the suggestion sound perfectly normal, which made Mara wonder if her accent was even real or if she just used it to make these moments slightly less weird.
“It’s not very much of anything,” Mara said, “so yes, you’re probably right.”
“It is more than nothing, and that is the point, dear. Nothing is only nothing. Nothing is not mystery. This is mystery. Small mystery, but still mystery, and not nothing. It’s what you choose not to show that makes them want you. So you try these. And . . .” She grabbed a lacy push-up bra that appeared to be a solid match. “And this.”
Mara stepped behind the privacy screen—they were alone in a shuttered, private shop so there was no particular need for a full dressing room until such a time as Chalmers decided to check in from the car or something—to change into the lingerie.
“Have you known Mr. Leeds for long?” Mara asked.
“You suppose I know him?” the mademoiselle countered. “Perhaps I do not. He is a man who wishes to pay for your wonderful new clothing, is that not enough?”
“But you do know him.”
“Yes, chéri, Monsieur Leeds and myself are familiar with one another. It has been five years, I suppose.”
“Does he send all of his women here?” Mara asked, realizing after it had already been said that it came off as a little bitchy.
“Oh, haha. No, you misunderstand, chéri. You are only the second of his, his women as you say, to come here. The first was from five years ago, and Monsieur Leeds and I have remained acquainted through social circles.”
“So there was another woman, but five years ago?” Mara asked. She was now blatantly digging for information but didn’t seem to have any patience for a more nuanced approach.
“It has been since three years,” Alleman answered. “But Monsieur Leeds has, I’m sure, told you of her by now.”
“He has not,” Mara admitted. “But I haven’t asked. I’m not even sure if we’re dating, Mademoiselle Alleman, or if that’s what people still do. We’ve never really talked about that either.”
“It is just the sex, then.”
“Mademoiselle!”
“It’s better if it’s the sex first, chéri. Love, romance, relationships—these are confusing. Sex is simple. Now you must be changed. Please. Show me how they fit.” 
About the Author

Damian Jericho is the pen name of a best-selling sci-fi/fantasy novelist who tragically does not have a name that is half as interesting as ‘Damian Jericho’.  Both of them reside in the Boston area and one of them is real.
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Paranormal Romance. Enchanter's Echo by Anise Rae.

Today it’s my pleasure to welcome over Anise Rae, author of Enchanter’s Echo, Mayflower Mages, Book Two. So cozy in and check out a fabulous interview!
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Kensington/Lyrical
Date of Publication: February 17, 2015   
ISBN: 9781616505394ASIN: B00PP2ZX8M
Number of pages: 270Word Count: 99,685
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win either a $25 Amazon gift card or one set of Paper copies of Syphon’s Song and Enchanter’s Echo open to US Shipping. 
Book Description
Aurora Firenze lives a quiet life hiding in a junkyard. Her repair shop is the last hope for gadgets and gizmos before they get tossed onto the trash towers. Fortunately, Aurora can fix almost anything, including mages, though repairing people with metal enchantments is highly illegal.
Edmund Rallis, heir to the Rallis senate seat, has spent months hunting down his errant enchantress. He’ll play every game he knows to win her back and entice her to share the secrets she hides. But he’s inadvertently put her on the frontlines of a new game, one with an opponent who’s determined to destroy Rallis Territory and drive the Republic toward war. If the new enemy isn’t stopped in time, Edmund will lose his enchantress again—and this time there won’t be another chance.
Available at   Amazon    BN    Kobo   iTunes
Let’s Interview!
What inspired you to write this book?
I love this question because the answer is so easy. Two words. Edmund Rallis.
Edmund is the hero in Enchanter’s Echo, but he first appeared in Syphon’s Song, Mayflower Mages #1. As I was writing Syphon, it was clear that Edmund needed his own book, although he was still very much a mystery to me. All I knew was that he had a scary, dark power that everyone ignored. I didn’t even know what his power was. He was charming and funny, yet completely doomed because of this mysterious power. I had to give him a happy ending with a true love of his own.
How did you come up with the title, Enchanter’s Echo?
Aurora, the heroine of the story, is an enchantress. In the Republic of Mage Territories, this gives her instant celebrity because enchantresses are so rare and special. (I won’t tell you why…I don’t want to spoil the story!) But being the center of attention is not her style. Her kind heart doesn’t need the spotlight to shine. The fact that she can’t resist being the champion of the disenfranchised earns her the spotlight anyway. Her compassion and bravery have ramifications that echo through every corner of the Republic.
What made you choose the setting of this book?
For me, home is not only where the heart is, it’s also wherever my imagination can find seeds of inspiration and wonder. For years now, Columbus, Ohio has been just that for me. My mother lives there in a neighborhood that is very walkable. My kids and I visit at least a couple of times a year. We walk to Starbucks, to the park, to restaurants, and to the most fabulous bookstore in existence. I love it all. I find magic in every corner. It’s the perfect setting for my city-dwelling mages. However, in the Mayflower Mages series, Columbus is not the capital of Ohio. It’s the capital of Rallis Territory.
Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest?
There are so many parts of Edmund and Aurora’s story that I cherish, but here’s a little snippet of one of my favorite scenes. To set this up, the two are facing some terribly trying times. Their whole world is falling apart, and they are struggling to stop it. They’re heading toward another spot of trouble, and they know it. But in this one little moment, despite their obstacles, they find joy in each other.
“We’re off to save the city together this time. If we had capes and purple boots, we’d be like Mageman and Vibe Girl. Saviors of the city,” Aurora quoted.
Good goddess. He’d already thought she was perfect. “You read comic books.” He might have howled at the moon if not for the clouds.
“I’d like to see you in purple boots,” she said. Her eyes shined, a teasing sparkle in their depths.
Just like that, contentment settled back into his soul despite the fact they were tracking down an evil that had the potential to destroy his land. “I’d look dashing and handsome in purple boots.”
“Naturally. The kingdom’s prince could be nothing less. Although, I’d rather be Energy Woman than Vibe Girl. She has that sleek suit and long legs. I always thought Vibe Girl looked kind of dumpy and fat next to her.”
“Dumpy and fat! No way. Her curves are essential to the Mageman/Vibe Girl team.” Just as Aurora’s curves were essential to every fantasy he’d had in the last nine months. “Mageman could never hold onto Energy Woman while he flies. She’s all straight and slippery. She’d fall right out of his grip and smash to pieces against the ground. Vibe Girl’s curves give her man something to hold onto. Besides, her little skirt flutters in the air.”
“And if it would flutter just right then you could see what she wears under it?”
“You’ve wondered, too?” He grinned, foolishly happy.
She laughed. His heart fluttered just like that pink skirt.
“No.”
Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
I’m always working on another story. Right now, I’m editing Sorcerer’s Spin, Mayflower Mages #3. It stars Gregor, who’s one of the guards in Enchanter’s Echo. His sorceress is one amazing lady.
Tell us about your favorite writing environment. Is it indoors, outdoors, a special room, etc.
My favorite place to write is my screened-in porch. I live in an urban forest. (Really. It’s an official designation.) I’m surrounded by trees, songbirds, deer, owls and more. As I wrote Enchanter’s Echo, two baby deer would frequently saunter through my yard and take a nap in the ivy. My porch is a magic spot. I miss it during the winter.
What genres do you prefer to write? Are there other genres you’d like to write in the future?
I’ve been dreaming up stories ever since I can remember. Even when I was little, those stories always included magic and romance. Paranormal and fantasy romance are the perfect genres for me. However, I also love sci fi romance…otherworlds, spaceships, handsome aliens species just waiting to be discovered…some of whom have to be magical, right? Surely a thorough statistical analysis of the endless possibilities of the universe would show this.
Therefore, for the sake of those unknown handsome aliens with magic, I also write sci fi romance. And someday I’m going publish those stories.
Thanks so much for having me on A Writer’s Mind!
Excerpt
The keep-out spell awoke at her approach. The enchanted mesh of vines and branches that blocked the entrance to Rallis Territory’s forbidden forest vibrated in welcome as its creator returned. Aurora Firenze cast her vibes along the perimeter of her spell, testing and prodding. Its strength resonated back. It was as strong as it had been six months ago when she’d created it and hid her secrets within the forest’s depths. She let go of a relieved breath, but it didn’t cure her tension.
Her nerves were strung tight, as if she’d spent hours placating customers in her repair shop. But the day had been quiet. She’d even made decent progress—fixing a curling iron with a too-hot heating spell and a stapler that had a bad habit of chasing the boss around the conference table. Yet a restlessness itched at her skin with an unpleasant persistence. She’d closed up early and headed out for the short walk to the forest. Within its heart, she’d find the peace to wash away this unease.
She sent another stream of vibes into the keep-out spell. A discreet doorway formed. With a quick glance around the barren field and the junkyard behind her, she stepped beneath her illegal spell.
As she brushed against the branches, a faint thump sounded at her feet—the soft crash of a pinecone or a weak branch falling to the ground. A normal forest noise. She flinched anyway. Her glitter puffed around her in an anxious cloud as her mage energy escaped her control. It was the fifth time today. Enchantresses did not make good criminals. She should probably let the other three in existence know, in case they were considering lives of crime. Those blasted sparkly clouds would blow their covers wide open.
She lifted her foot to continue into the small forest that was tucked inside the territory’s capital city, but stopped. A proper lawbreaker should investigate mysterious noises outside her lair. She turned and scanned the ground for the culprit. A gold coin glinted in the crisp weeds. That wasn’t normal. She reached to pick it up, scanning the field and the junkyard beyond with a twitchy gaze. Empty. 
She was alone.
Behind her, the forest shuttered closed, nearly catching her in its fortress wall. She jumped forward with a surprised lurch at the swat of vines and twigs. A basic rule of illegal enchantments: get out of the way or risk being incorporated into the spell.
Ignoring the sting of the swat, she stared at the coin. It was tarnished at the edges, a used-up charm. See-me-not was embossed on its golden surface. She jerked her head up. A man stood ten paces away. He was tall, broad...beyond familiar.
“Edmund,” she whispered. A shiver tiptoed across her shoulders like kisses, soft lips that hid a sharp bite. Her nerves stretched thinner yet, trapped in a battle between memories of lovers’ frolics and the promise of a dark fate that had just materialized from thin air.
Behind her, the forest’s trees rustled with the wind, a warning to retreat, one she dare not heed. Not until she knew why he’d finally come searching for her. She hadn’t thought he’d ever come back.
He prowled forward. “Hello, princess.” Though his words might have held some affection, nothing of the lover she’d once known appeared in his countenance. He lifted his left hand to reveal a glowing ball of mage vibes in his palm. His blue eyes reflected the tiny flashes of energy, and his power snapped in the air like a miniature electrical storm. The heir to the most powerful territory in the Republic had quite a steam of anger built up.
Dark hair waved across his forehead, and little curls peeked out at the edges of his neck. Though the wind buffeted and pushed at Aurora, winter’s boldness didn’t dare touch Edmund, not his hair, nor his dark gray suit or scarlet tie.
The hard slope of his nose matched the sharp lines of his jaw and cheekbones. When he smiled, he was deadly handsome. At the moment, he was simply deadly.
“Aurora.” He cast her name through the air and a piece of her soul tumbled away, as if it might dash toward him and cling like a forlorn, discarded lover. But he hadn’t discarded her....
“You stand accused of melding earthen metals to human flesh with an enchantment.”
Her heart thumped once, hard and loud, and then took off with a sprint, drenching her veins from head to toe with lightning sharp fright.
Goddess, he’d found out. How?
Even as she thought it, he revealed the answer. The glow faded from his ball of energy to reveal a small metal sphere. Her racing heart shriveled at the sight, pulling the rest of her organs with it, as if they thought to hide, seeking a chance to slip past this disaster unnoticed and, perhaps, survive. She shifted her feet on the ground, unable to resist the fear pumping through her core. Run, her gut whispered. She couldn’t afford to listen... not with the evidence sitting in his hand.
The sphere was heavier than it looked. She knew that. After all, she’d made it...and thought it long gone. He closed his fingers around it, capturing her fate within his fist.
“How’d you get that?” Her fast words shot out, hustling forward before fear, creeping up her legs with tingles and pricks, stole her voice.
“You ought to be down on your knees thanking me for confiscating it.” His voice was sharp and cutting. He sounded like a stranger, his jokes and teasing wit long gone.
“What did you do? Sneak into the junkyard and pluck his eye from his skull? Has it been hiding under your pillow for six months?” Not at all where she’d thought it was. Betrayal jolted through her.
“Hardly actions befitting the heir of the mighty Rallis realm.” Her voice wavered.
“You have no idea what I’ve done.”
About the Author

Anise Rae has been reading romance novels since she first discovered her grandmother’s stash of books hidden away in a cabinet. Learning that she wasn’t the only one dreaming about love and magic was a turning point in her life. She started her own stash of books and wrote a few too.
A native of Ohio, Anise long ago moved south, armed with boxes of romance novels and degrees in chemistry and library science. Creating chemistry on the page between two lovers proved to be a lot more fun than working with test tubes in a lab or searching patent databases. She refocused on writing.
Her stories revolve around heroines who dare to stand up to society’s expectations and be true to themselves and heroes with plenty of savvy to fall in love with such brave women.
Anise lives in Atlanta with her two children and a fluffy dog that has an amazing ability to find dirty socks.
For information on future releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter at www.aniserae.com.
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Author Shari Nichols Interviews Cover Model David Santa Lucia.

Today I'm thrilled to welcome back talented author, Shari Nichols who wanted to share an interview she recently conducted with gorgeous cover model, David Santa Lucia. Hold on tight ladies! Delicious pictures again. *grins*
Shari, the floor's all yours...
Cover Model David Santa Lucia is Fifty Shades Hotter than Christian Grey…I invite you to decide!
Whenever I think of Valentine’s Day, images of long stemmed red roses, heart shaped boxes of chocolate and of course, hot men come to mind. The Fifty Shades frenzy has hit with a vengeance. This Valentine’s Day women will be lining up at theaters around the globe to finally experience the allusive Christian Grey in all his male glory on the big screen. But there will be another incredibly sexy male on the scene, whose face and muscled physique will soon be everywhere.
I have no doubt he’ll capture the hearts and the imagination of women both young and old. His name is David Santa Lucia, and not only is he easy on the eyes, but he's smart, grounded and damn if he doesn’t look good soaking wet!  
Looking at your pictures, it’s clear that you must’ve turned many heads. When did you first consider a career in modeling? How did you get in the industry?

That’s nice of you to say! To be honest, I’ve had people tell me that I should model, but I never gave it a second thought. It all started this past January. I began training for my first NPC physique competition. I was in the best shape of my life so I posted a couple of progress pictures online, as most competitors do. One day, I got a message from a local photographer asking me if I had any interest in being on the cover of a bestselling author’s next series. I’m usually skeptical when it comes to these kinds of things, but after she explained the details and that I’d be getting paid for my work I decided “why not?” I submitted some additional photos of myself for Author Kimberly Knight to review to make a final decision on who to pick. To my surprise, she chose me to be on the cover of her next series.
The six covers that I’m featured on for her series are the product from my first real photo shoot. I wasn’t convinced about a modeling career until I saw the results and how wonderful the images turned out. Liz Christensen is the photographer that took the incredible shots and managed to capture the moment perfectly. She told me that I was a natural. It got me thinking that I could make something out of this opportunity. My career has been “running” ever since and I’ve been extremely fortunate. I’m forever grateful for all of the wonderful opportunities that have come my way!   
-Your handsome face and gorgeous body have graced many romance novels covers and I can see why. What covers have you done?
Oh god, I’m blushing from these amazing compliments. I work with the best photographers in the industry and we collaborate as a team to get our images seen by the wonderful author community.
My first job came from Amazon Best Selling Author Kimberly Knight’s B&S series. Additional covers came from New York Times and USA Today Best Selling Author Aurora Rose Reynolds. I’m also featured on another cover by Aurora that will be released in the near future. Currently I have eight released covers and three more that’ll be coming out in the near future by Aurora Rose Reynolds, Emma Hart, and Sandi Lynn. I’m also discussing deals with a few other authors right now. Hopefully there will be even more to come, so please stay in touch with my page to see my new covers.
-What do you do in your free time?
I don’t have too much free time. I’m either at school, work, studying, exercising, networking online with authors and photographers, answering emails/messages, or cooking and preparing meals. When I do find some free time I like to spend it with my beautiful girlfriend and go out to a nice dinner or just relax at home and goof around with her. She insists that I’m secretly a dork at heart, but she loves it.
-What would a woman have to do to win your heart?
I have a wonderful and amazing girlfriend. She’s the beautiful female model Rachael Baltes, who’s featured on the covers with me. I’m picky when it comes to dating. I’ve had my fair share of liars, cheaters, drama lovers, fighters, and crazies. From all of my bad experiences I have learned to have a keen eye to even the slightest red flag that would tell me to avoid a female. The most important characteristic that a woman must possess to win my heart is the ability to make me genuinely laugh and not just once in a while, but all the time.  Rachael has the best sense of humor and she always keeps things lively and fun with all of her positive and wild energy. I also need a woman who exercises regularly and knows and understands the challenges and the value of training hard, as it is a major part of my daily life. Besides, there is nothing sexier than seeing your woman dripping in sweat from a grueling work out! Aside from humor and exercise, my partner must be a genuine sweetheart. I’ve dated attractive woman who were just nasty and let me tell you, looks can only get you so far with me. Rachael is both beautiful and a total sweetheart. She has my back no matter what.
-Where are you from originally? Where do you call home now?
I’m from Buffalo, New York and I still reside here to this day. I plan on moving south this year to seek out employment after I graduate from my doctor of physical therapy program. I love New York, but I need to go where the opportunities are and to a warmer climate.
-What can we expect from you in the future?
Well it’s my hope that you should expect to see me on many more covers. I have seven photo shoots scheduled in the next few months with excellent photographers. There will be a ton of great new pics coming out. I’m also trying to break my way into the fashion industry. I’m hoping to get some exposure in fashion and fitness magazines in the future. I’m also looking to earn sponsorships through work out supplements and clothing companies. You can definitely expect me to continue competing in physique competitions. I will also continue to travel around the U.S. for author signing events, which is wonderful because it gives me a chance to meet and spend time with my author friends, as well as my fans. I love to meet the fans and enjoy getting a chance to talk and joke around with them!

-Who do you admire most? Why?
I would say that the person who I admire the most would have to be my best friend Ryan Boggs who’s a fellow classmate in my Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Balancing my modeling career, traveling, training, physique competitions, relationships, and everyday life while also enrolled in a professional doctoral program is nothing short of tough. Every day is a challenge and Ryan has been the man behind the scenes who keeps me on track when things get overwhelming. Ryan will also be my future business partner when we open up our own practice. He’s truly an inspiration and sets the bar for human character and morality.
-Are you ever shy or embarrassed to get such adulation from women for your looks?
I definitely still get shy and embarrassed when I get such adulation from women. I don’t know if that will ever go away. People make fun of me after I receive compliments because I turn red and can be at a loss for words. It still amazes me that people can have such nice things to say about me because I just view myself as a regular guy. Nevertheless, the compliments from my fans make me feel amazing inside when I see their appreciation.
-What's your favorite food?
Italian food! I love all things Italian and am an absolute sucker for good bread. I always tell people that when I am sick, down, or upset, just bring me a fresh loaf of good bread and I will be right as rain, when I am not strictly dieting of course.
-What do you do to have fun? Distress?
I go to the gym, of course. I also love bicycling outdoors in the summer and usually go about twenty miles at a time. I love watching the scenery and the beauty of nature as I ride. I also like people watching and seeing what others are up to as I cruise by their houses. Hiking in the woods is another favorite pastime of mine. I love to get engulfed in the beauty of nature. It frees me from the stresses of the world.


-What is the best part of your job? The worst?
I will start with the worst part first because there isn’t too much that’s bad. Staying in prime shape costs a lot of money, and requires a ton of healthy food as well as supplements. I wish that I had more time to chat with authors, photographers, friends, and fans.
The best part of my job is getting to travel around the U.S. and getting to meet so many amazing and hard working authors, photographers, and models. It’s crazy that I never even knew a book community like this existed until I became a part of it and I’m thankful for the opportunities that have come my way. I’ve met so many truly wonderful people, new friends, and amazing fans.  Before I began modeling, I rarely traveled because I was so busy with school and money was tight. Traveling has to be one of favorite things to do in life. I love experiencing beautiful and exotic places and cultures. Staying in one place my whole life just made me feel like I was truly missing out on life. Modeling has allowed me to participate in what I’d been missing the most out of life and for that I couldn’t be more thankful.
Thank you, Dave you've been a doll and a pleasure to work with. You certainly make this job fun! Check out Dave on FB, Twitter and Instagram.
FB Fan Page         Instagram                 TSU                      Twitter                   ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shari Nichols is the author of WITCH HUNTER, a new erotic romance with Ellora’s Cave Publishing. Shari grew up in a small town in Connecticut where haunted houses, ghosts and Ouija boards were common place, spurring her fascination with all things paranormal. Ever since she read her first Barbara Cartland novel, her life-long dream has been to write sexy, romantic stories. She’s thrilled to spend her days in sweats, eating chocolate while pounding on her keyboard to create her next novel.
Website: http://sharinichols.com/index.htmlTwitter: https://twitter.com/shari_nichFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharinichGoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29514513-shari-nicholshttp://amzn.to/1uOKcRk

Paranormal Shifter Romance. The Bearly Controlled Alpha by Jenika Snow.

Today it’s my pleasure to feature Jenika Snow, author of The Bearly Controlled Alpha, an Erotic Paranormal M/F, Shifter  Romance.
Release Date: February 1, 2015
Publisher: ARe
Book Description
Logan is part bear, part wolf, all alpha SEAL. Honey is a headstrong shifter herself. When they get together, it’s one explosive claiming…
Logan Teairry is a rare hybrid alpha feared amongst the shifting community. He has come back to the small town of Sugar Crest to settle down after his military tour with the SEALs has ended. What he doesn't expect to see is his mate in the form of one headstrong badger shifter named Honey.
Honey Bellamy has always been in control of her life and her relationships. But when she sees Logan walk into her realty office, she sees that the man fate has chosen for her is a giant hybrid alpha who likes to be in charge. When Honey realizes how arousing submission can be, it’s Logan who can barely maintain control.
About the Author
Who is Jenika Snow? She is the pseudonym of a mother, wife and nurse.  She lives in the too hot northeast with her husband and their two daughters, and was able to have her dream come true in 2013 by writing full-time.
Jenika started writing at a very young age. Her first story consisted of a young girl who traveled to an exotic island and found a magical doll. That story has long since disappeared, but others have taken its place.
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Second Chances Can Be Lethal. The Ex File by Alexis D. Craig.

Today it’s my pleasure to feature, Alexis D. Craig, author of The Ex File, Book One in the Behind the Blue Line Series.
Genre: Erotic Suspense, Police Procedural, Hot Romance
Publisher: Hot Ink PressDate of Publication: 2/7/2015
Number of pages: 148Word Count: 59,931
Cover Artist: Laura Hidalgo of BookFabulous Designs
Giveaway! Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter after this post for a chance to win one of the following: 2 ebook copies of The Ex File, a prize pack containing a tote bag, a hook bookmark with cool charms on it and a book in a bottle pendant open to US Shipping or a $10 Amazon GC. 
Book Description
Second Chances Can Be Lethal
Narcotics Officer, Sean O’Leary is bitter after a messy divorce that has reinforced his solitary nature, leaving him only with his dog and a sword collection. He could never imagine that  his former best friend may be the only woman to bring happiness into his lonely life.
Ellie Gardner knows loss; especially after she was banished from her best friend/crush's life by his jealous wife. Although the regret of walking away from the love of her life still stung, a chance encounter with Sean may change everything.
When Ellie and Sean reconnect, they could never expect it'd be in such an explosive way, leaving them both to gain the fulfillment of their 'what if's. Finding love is hard enough without the past breathing down their necks, especially when said past has no intention of letting go. When Sean's ex, Pia Mastriani returns, Ellie must face her nemesis' relentless tactics to get Sean back, including eliminating Ellie if necessary.
Sean and Ellie’s relationship is put to the test but will they fare well while they go rummaging through The Ex File?
Book Trailer

Time to Interview!
What inspired you to write this book?
This story actually came to me as a dream. The whole first chapter was a dream I had that I woke up only long enough to mumble the details into my phone’s voice recorder. I passed back out and woke a few hours later and listened to it. Surprisingly, it was intelligible. After I wrote the first scene, I realized there was a larger story to be told, so I planned it out and went for it.
How did you come up with the title?
I’m an X-Files fan from way back, and that name was kind of the working title from the moment I envisioned the villain.
What made you choose the main setting for your book?
I am a ‘write what you know’ kind of girl, and I know my hometown very well as a result of several jobs where such knowledge was a requirement and my natural curiosity. You see a fair bit of Indianapolis when you read my work.
If you could spend an hour in real life with one of your characters, who would it be and why?
Ellie’s best friend, Josh, is a riot. I modeled him after a dear friend of mine whom I adore beyond reason. Whenever we get together, we tend to find mischief, and I’m sure it would be the same way with Josh.
Tell us a little bit about the conflict in your story.
Ellie’s a woman with some longstanding abandonment issues and is not really too sure of herself. She wants to be confident, but it doesn’t feel natural to her. She had a serious crush on her best friend Sean, had pretty much fallen in love with him, only to watch him marry another woman, essentially because she didn’t speak up.
When she and Sean meet back up, she realizes her feelings for him never really went away, even though she did once he got married, and now that he was free, they had a different dynamic between them than simply the friendship of before.
Sean is a bit of a loner. He likes his hobbies, his dog, and his friends sometimes, but he really needed space after his divorce. For his part, he is happy to have his best friend back, and kicking himself in the hind parts because he never saw what was in front of him the whole time. He’s willing to let go of the upset of her leaving before just because she was back now. They have a real shot together and he wants that more than anything.
His ex-wife, Pia, has other ideas. She wants him back, badly. The circumstances of their divorce are of little interest to her now, because he’s hers. It doesn’t matter what it takes, no one says ‘no’ to her and means it.
The intersections of these three characters form the conflict that escalates to open warfare, with casualties on all sides.
Are you currently working on another story? If so, we’d love some details.
In The Ex File, you meet a smooth-talking character named Nico. He’s the kind of guy that incinerates the panties off all hetero women in the immediate vicinity. He comes from a solid family and enjoys his work, but isn’t looking to settle down.
Then he meets Nahia Wellington. Retired witch, shopkeep, and part-time ghost hunter, she is so far beyond any woman he’s met and his intrigue with her is off the charts.
Their story, the next in the Blue Line Series, is called Dead and Disorderly and comes out on May 23rd of this year.
Did you enjoy writing one scene above all the rest? If so, share.
It’s hard to pick just one scene. The reader’s introduction to Josh was pretty fun. I love interjecting comedy and levity into a fairly serious scene because that’s life. Nothing is so serious all the time.
What sources do you use for research?
I live to research. Learning new things is in my Top 3 of ‘Favorite Things to Do’, along with Travel to Interesting Places and Eating Local Cuisine, and Ghost Hunting. I worship at the altar of Google, and will read any and everything on a subject until I understand as many sides of it as are available. I also love to talk to people. You find someone who loves their work/hobby/random thing you need to know and you ask them, and you take notes. For The Ex File, I took a detective friend to lunch one day and picked his brain for over an hour, going over potential scenes I wanted to do for accuracy and feasibility, and when we were done and I still had questions, he hooked me up with someone who could answer them. I did about three hours of research that resulted in about 50 pages of story. It was excellent.
Do you prefer to write short stories, novellas or novels? Why?
I’ve come to the conclusion I may be constitutionally incapable of writing a short story. Short for me is like 40K. I have a collection of shorter stuff, vignettes and things, but those were collected over a few years that I submitted as a collection. I’m generally not given to writing something under 100 pages. I’m not sure why that is, but I’m comfortable with it. 
Excerpt
Tempting fate, he cupped her cheek, heartened when she didn’t turn away from him. “I may be a lot of things,” he started, “but I’m not that kind of bastard. That much I can promise.”
“But you didn’t call.” Her voice was small, full of confusion and accusation even as she hooked her fingers through his belt loops.
Sean rested his forehead against hers, feeling the heat of her whiskey breath against his lips. “You said you were going to call me right before you ran out the door the other morning.” He hoped that by showing the parity of their situations, it would make her feel better.
“I didn’t run.” Ellie tilted her head back to look him in the eye, “I walked, with dignity and great haste.” She held a straight face for only a moment before breaking into a quiet chuckle.
He could feel himself grinning like an idiot. He nuzzled his nose against hers. “Fine, you left with great haste.”
She turned her face away and mumbled something that sounded like, “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Eleanor,” he purred as he placed a finger under chin and turned her face to his. She looked… scared? Ashamed? It was several shades of emotion at once, and he wanted nothing more than to hug her as tight as he could to make them go away. “El. You know what I did last week?” She shook her head. He licked his lips and laughed slightly. “I arrested a couple hookers, did some buys. Hung out with Guinness. Went a little nuts on eBay for a couple antique swords. It’s an exciting life I lead, huh?”
Ellie’s eyes fell from his to his lips, finally landing on his chest. “I’m sorry for doubting you.”
Sean threaded his fingers through her hair as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “No, don’t apologize. We’re both kinda new at this.” When she looked back up at him, she looked like she was about to cry. That wouldn’t do at all. He brushed his lips across hers, pleased to see the surprise in her eyes. “We’ll work it out.”
She reached up and tucked his bangs behind his ear, her fingertips igniting little sparks against his skin as she trailed them down his neck to his shoulder. “I’m sure we will.” When she arched up into him as she kissed him, he knew the heaven he’d experienced the other night hadn’t been imagined. 
Her fingers wound in his hair, the way her breath caught when he bit her neck, her leg hooked around his, damn, he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed this.
The knock at the door broke them apart for only a second. She looked at the door, and the clock on the stove, before pulling him tight against her again. “Wrong house. They’ll figure it out.” 
That was all the permission to continue he needed, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her onto the counter. Stepping between her legs, he dropped his hand to her knee, moving it slowly up her thigh and dragged her dress with it. Ellie tugged at the collar and sleeves of his button down shirt, until he stopped only long enough to toss it into the living room over the half-wall.
He framed her face in his hands and peppered her lips with tiny kisses and nibbles as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed herself as close to him as she could be while still dressed.
The banging on the front door recommenced, this time with the familiar timber of a cop on a mission. “Eleanor Gardner. Open the door now or I’m coming in there.” 


 About the Author


Alexis is a writer with a couple of day jobs. Working for two different police agencies, it's a juggling act to find time to write.
She is also an aunt, godmother, avid cyclist, serial hobbyist, ghost hunter, and collector of stray animals. Her husband is a loving, patient man.
The author of Imminent Danger, Undercover Seduction, and Give Me Shelter with Lachesis Press, and she has three more novels coming out in 2015, The Ex File on February 7th, Dead and Disorderly on May 23rd, and Bulletproof Princess on August 8th from Hot Ink Press.
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